The present invention relates to an attachment structure of attaching a rotary connector device and a combination switch for fixing a combination switch arranged around a steering of a vehicle and a rotary connector device to each other through a bracket.
FIG. 8 shows a rotary connector device in a related art (refer to Patent Reference 1).
The rotary connector device 61 is arranged at a vicinity of a steering 62 of a vehicle and includes a rotary cover 64 in a ring-like shape fixed to a steering shaft 63, a fixed cover 65 in a ring-like shape fixed to a combination switch 69 on an outer side of the steering shaft 63, and a flexible flat harness 67 wound substantially in a spiral shape at inside of a space 66 in a ring-like shape surrounded by the two covers 64, 65.
A roller 68 is rotatably provided in a circular space 66, and the flat harness 67 is disposed along an inner peripheral wall of the rotary cover 64 and an outer peripheral wall of the fixed cover 65 on an inner side and an outer side of the roller 68. One end of the flat harness 67 is connected from a side of the rotary cover to an air bag apparatus, a horn or the like at inside of the steering, and other end of the flat harness 67 is connected from a side of the fixed cover to a side of a power source or the like.
FIG. 9 shows a structure of attaching rotary connector device and a combination switch in a related art (refer to Patent Reference 2).
A combination switch 71 includes a main body portion 72 formed substantially in a U-like shape, and operating levers 73 provided on two left and right sides of the main body portion 72. The main body portion 72 includes a female screw portion 74 at a side face thereof. A steering shaft 75 is inserted to a center of the main body portion 72, the main body portion 72 is fixed to upper and lower brackets 76, 77 on a side of the screw shaft by screwing, and a rotary connector device 78 is fixed to the bracket 76 on an upper side by screwing.
The bracket 76 on the upper side includes a circular hole 79 to which the steering shaft 75 penetrates, and notched grooves 80 for inserting the two operating levers 73 of the combination switch 71. The main body portion 72 of the combination switch 71 is fixed to the brackets 76, 77 by screws from left and right directions, and the rotary connector device 78 is fixed to the bracket 76 from above by screws.
FIG. 10 shows a structure of attaching a rotary connector device and a combination switch in a related art (refer to Patent Reference 3).
A rotary connector device 81 includes a plurality of locking claws 83 at a bottom wall of a fixed cover 82, and a bracket 84 in a plate-like shape on a side of the steering shaft includes hole portions 85 for engaging with the respective locking claws 83. Guide grooves 87 of a combination switch of a dividing type (in the drawing, only a switch unit 86 on one side is shown) are engaged with two left and right sides of the bracket 84 in a sliding type to be fixed to a hole portion 89 of the bracket 84 by a locking claw 88.
The switch unit 86 on one side is for a turn signal and a dimmer, and a switch unit on other side, not illustrated, is for a wiper and a washer.
[Patent Reference 1] JP-A-10-64646 (FIG. 1)
[Patent Reference 2] JP-A-9-198969 (FIG. 1)
[Patent Reference 3] JP-A-2001-1909 (FIG. 1)
However, according to the structure of attaching the rotary connector device and the combination switch of FIG. 9 mentioned above, the combination switch 71 is fixed to the brackets 76, 77 by male screw members 90 from side directions, the rotary connector device 78 is fixed to the bracket 76 from above by a screw member 91, and therefore, a number of screw members 90, 91 and a number of integrating steps are needed.
Further, according to the structure of attaching the rotary connector device and the combination switch in the related art in FIG. 10, although the rotary connector device 81 and the combination switch 86 can simply be fixed to the bracket 84 respectively by the locking claws 83, 88, there is a concern that the rotary connector device 81 and the combination switch 86 are rattled or going to be detached by destructing the locking claws 83, 88 or weakening fixing forces of the locking claws 83, 88 by repeated attachment and detachment.